


Dangerous Minds

by nathaniel_hp



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2009-05-05
Updated: 2009-05-05
Packaged: 2017-11-17 01:48:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 487
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/546294
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nathaniel_hp/pseuds/nathaniel_hp





	Dangerous Minds

Tom Riddle walked into the library and purposefully strode over to the librarian's desk. Madam Pince looked up. Her stern look softened considerably when she realised the person who dared disturb her was Tom, and she gave him a small nod. Tom inclined his head to thank her and made his way over to the Restricted Section.

They had had this arrangement since Tom's first year at Hogwarts: Tom was allowed to view and take out books from the Restricted Section. In return, he was nice to Madam Pince, smiled at her, sometimes paid her a compliment.

Tom sneered; she was so easy to manipulate. Most people were.

He was about to push open the small door that partitioned off the more dangerous books when he realised someone was looking at him. That Ravenclaw girl again! Her eyes were unnaturally large behind her glasses as she stared at him intently.

There was something in her gaze that made him stop. He walked over to the table she occupied, hidden behind enormous piles of books.

He knew she wasn't a very popular girl. She would stutter and blush when the great Tom Riddle started talking to her. "Hello," he greeted.

"Why do you keep sneaking into the Restricted Section?" No stutter, no blush. Instead, she held his gaze firmly. Intriguing!

"I'm not sneaking. I research. Why are you spying on me?"

"I'm not. I notice things. And I think you're up to something. I should report you!" She crossed her arms over her chest and glared at him.

"I told you: I use the Restricted Section for my research. I have permission to enter." Why was he even talking to the insolent girl?

"It is easy to manipulate Madam Pince." She said it casually, in her know-it-all Ravenclaw manner, but to Tom the utterance held a threat. No one dared challenge him! And no one would endanger his plans; he'd see to that. Who would have thought that a spotty, bespectacled loser could possibly become a threat to him?

"I don't know what you mean," Tom answered innocently.

He gave her a piercing look, her eyes practically inviting him into her mind. Tom expected something neat and well-ordered; instead he found chaos: thoughts, emotions, snippets of information were flying past him in a whirlwind, too fast, too random, too much.

_... crying – hiding in a bathroom – bored – reading a book – watching Tom – arguing with a fellow Ravenclaw – standing in front of the Restricted Section – playing with her food in the Great Hall – lonely – holding back the tears as some girls teased her – excited – misunderstood – biting her lips – running her fingers along an Ancient Runes text – following Tom out of the Great Hall – looking at herself in a mirror ..._

Tom pulled back out of her mind, staggering slightly. Well hidden in the jumble of her thoughts was a clear message: She was dangerous. He had to get rid of her.  



End file.
